Dual Facet Imagination Scale (DFIS)

Abstract

The Dual Facet Imagination Scale (DFIS), developed by Sassenberg et al. in 2023, is a sophisticated trait measure designed to quantify individual differences in imagination. It uniquely differentiates between two core dimensions: Experiential Simulation and Conceptual Innovation. The scale development leveraged items sourced from the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP).

The development process began with 59 initial items, which were tested across three distinct samples. Through rigorous factor analysis, the instrument was successfully refined into its final, concise 16-item version. These 16 items are clearly organized into the two hypothesized dimensions, demonstrating strong internal consistency and validity, confirming its utility as a measure of higher-order cognition.

Keywords

Conceptual Innovation, Dual Facet Imagination, Experiential Simulation, Hierarchically-Nested Personality Dimensions, Higher-Order Cognition, Trait Imagination, Openness/Intellect.

Authors

Sassenberg, Tyler A., Condon, David M., Christensen, Alexander P., DeYoung, Colin G.

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Purpose

The primary purpose of the DFIS is to serve as a precise trait scale for imagination, providing a granular assessment by separating experiential forms of mental imagery from conceptual forms of abstract thought. This separation allows researchers to investigate the distinct psychological mechanisms underlying different types of imaginative processes.

The DFIS subscales are specifically intended to function as facet-level markers within the hierarchical structure of the Big Five trait Openness/Intellect. By distinguishing Experiential Simulation and Conceptual Innovation, the scale provides clarity regarding how imagination aligns with the broader aspects of Openness and Intellect, respectively.

Construct

The DFIS measures imagination as a dual-facet construct nested within the broader domain of Openness/Intellect.

• Experiential Simulation (ES): This facet captures the tendency toward rich, vivid, sensory-based mental imagery, often associated with daydreaming, fantasy, and the capacity to simulate experiences not yet encountered. This dimension is theorized to be closely aligned with the Openness aspect of the Big Five trait.
• Conceptual Innovation (CI): This facet measures the capacity for abstract, original thought, focusing on generating novel ideas, finding creative solutions to problems, and linking disparate concepts. This dimension is specifically associated with the Intellect aspect of the Big Five trait.

Validity

The DFIS demonstrated strong evidence of Discriminant Validity across the tested samples, supporting the theoretical distinction between the two facets.

Specifically, Experiential Simulation showed a significantly stronger correlation with the Openness aspect (as measured by the BFAS) than with the Intellect aspect. Conversely, Conceptual Innovation exhibited a stronger association with the Intellect aspect than with the Openness aspect. This differential pattern of associations confirms that the DFIS successfully measures two theoretically independent, yet related, components of imagination that map onto the established aspects of the Openness/Intellect trait.

Reliability

The internal consistency of both DFIS dimensions was robustly assessed using multiple statistical measures, including Cronbach’s alpha and omega total (ωt) measures of reliability.

Across all samples utilized during the scale development, both Experiential Simulation and Conceptual Innovation consistently reported reliability coefficients above .80. These high values indicate excellent internal consistency, confirming that the items within each subscale reliably measure their intended latent construct.

Factor Analysis

The scale was refined through an rigorous Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) procedure. Of the initial 59 items selected from the IPIP, 43 were systematically removed during the refinement phase.

Items were removed either due to insufficient loadings on the general imagination factor, low loadings on the specific group factors, or to ensure an equitable balance (equal number of items) between the Experiential Simulation and Conceptual Innovation subscales. The final EFA specified a clear two-group factor structure. The Root Mean Square Residual (RMSR) value, a measure of model fit across different samples, was calculated at .05, indicating a good fit and consistent factor structure.

Instrument

Test Type: Original

Format: Items are rated using a 5-point Likert scale, typically ranging from Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree.

Language Available: English

Population Group: Human (Male; Female)

Age Group: The scale has supporting data across a wide range of age groups, including Childhood (birth-12 yrs), School Age (6-12 yrs), Adulthood (18 yrs & older), Young Adulthood (18-29 yrs), Thirties (30-39 yrs), Middle Age (40-64 yrs), Aged (65 yrs & older), and Very Old (85 yrs & older). No data is currently available for Adolescence (13-17 yrs).

Population Details:

• Location: United States
• Respondents: University Students; General Participants

Test Methodology: Test Validity, Discriminant Validity, Test Reliability, Internal Consistency, Factor Analysis, Exploratory Factor Analysis

Keywords

Experiential Simulation, Conceptual Innovation, Openness, Intellect, Psychological Measurement, Trait Scale, Openness/Intellect.

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Authors

The following details pertain to the authors of the Dual Facet Imagination Scale (DFIS):

• Sassenberg, Tyler A.
  • Author ORCID Identifier: No data is Available
  • Affiliation: University of Minnesota
  • Email Address: [email protected]
• Condon, David M.
  • Author ORCID Identifier: No data is Available
  • Affiliation: University of Oregon
  • Email Address: No data is Available
• Christensen, Alexander P.
  • Author ORCID Identifier: No data is Available
  • Affiliation: Vanderbilt University
  • Email Address: No data is Available
• DeYoung, Colin G.
  • Author ORCID Identifier: No data is Available
  • Affiliation: University of Minnesota
  • Email Address: No data is Available

Correspondence Address: Sassenberg, Tyler A.: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, N616 Elliott Hall, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55455, [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: Contact Publisher

Commercial: No

Fee: No

Test Year: 2023

Reference’s

Sassenberg, T. A., Condon, D. M., Christensen, A. P., & DeYoung, C. G. (2023). Imagination as a facet of openness/intellect: A new scale differentiating experiential simulation and conceptual Innovation. Creativity Research Journal, 35(4), 583–595. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2023.2177810

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Items of the Dual Facet Imagination Scale (DFIS)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

The Dual Facet Imagination Scale (DFIS) is a 16-item measure. The specific items can be found in Table 5, Page 589 of the source article: Sassenberg, T. A., Condon, D. M., Christensen, A. P., & DeYoung, C. G. (2023). Imagination as a facet of openness/intellect: A new scale differentiating experiential simulation and conceptual Innovation. Creativity Research Journal, 35(4), 583–595.

Factors and Subscales: The 16 items are distributed across two factors: Experiential Simulation and Conceptual Innovation.

The instrument consists of 16 items designed to measure two distinct subscales. The items are presented below.

Note: ES = Experiential Simulation, CI = Conceptual Innovation. It is recommended to administer the items with a 5-point Likert scale ranging from Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree. Scale scores are computed using item averages. A General Imagination score can be created by averaging the ES and CI scores.